African Americans as nurses.

WindyhillBSN · Mar 10, 2011

OMG are you serious? Um yes it's okay I'm Black and I'm a nurse I get treated the same as any other race.

Where do you live? :nurse:

lili718 · Mar 10, 2011

I am saddened by some of the replies on here. Maybe it is a joke and maybe it is not, but it really is not that odd of a question. African Americans have come a long way, but to say that discrimination is not present anywhere, would not be true. Also, I know an African American male who was the first African American male to graduate from the school he attended in 2010 and this was not a new school. As someone who has been generally healthy, I have never been admitted to the hospital except for the birth of my child, so maybe he is not sure if there are many black nurses, what issues they face, etc. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that he didn't mean he believes there are no black nurses... Maybe his family is telling him that it is not a good idea. I know many people that have grown up in an area where being successful is not of priority and many grow up hearing of how they will never make it anywhere, he may not have the exposure to understand that this is common. I find that if I think I feel a thread is not legitimate, I just don't answer it. On the assumption that it may be a legitimate post, with someone seeking help, and to not make this person feel as though they asked a stupid question, I will answer. Becoming an African- American male nurse is possible. Nursing school in general isn't easy, but if you have the dedication and desire to pursue a career in nursing, I say go for it!! In the area I live, I find that male nurses are being sought out more (or find jobs more quickly) as there are not many of them. Will you be called names, maybe. Will you be discriminated against because you are African American, probably not. Will everything be ok, as long as you do your job properly, more than likely. Can you be successful as an African American male nurse, yes you can and don't let anyone tell you different. And if this was a legitimate post, please don't be afraid to ask questions even if the responses are not so "nice", hopefully someone will be willing to answer your question... For the most part, the only stupid question is the one that is never asked.Good luck to you!!

xluescluesx · Mar 10, 2011

I agree with lili above! People can be so mean! I think it's great that you are already considering your career at a young age, and I'm sure you'd make a great nurse. :)

shhhh · Mar 10, 2011

I don't think Daniel was trying to start something on here. Just looking through his previous posts can tell you he's a pretty curious kiddo who's trying to learn as much as he can about nursing and if it would be a good fit for him. Like any 17 year old kid who's venturing into the real world, he seems a bit naive, but that's nothing to be ashamed of. If he's being sincere (and I'm wiling to bet he is), then it's a great breath of fresh air; I know quite a few teenage kids (relatives, neighbors, and co-worker's kids). A lot of these kids I know aren't really motivated to pursue a career, choose to coast through school, and basically want to live at home with mom and dad for as long as they can. You have to admit that seeing a 17 year old high school kid on these forums wanting to know as much as he can about a career he thinks he's interested in is nice to see, because a lot of kids nowadays are too busy with their faces stuck to their cell phone. I'm not trying to be a jerk or start something myself; I'm saying all of this as the loving older sister of a total aimless buffoon who's probably playing Call of Duty 4 in our parent's basement as I type this.

I think Daniel kinda jarred people initially because of the wording of his question, but I think I get why he asked it. So, anyway, I'll answer it: I used to work with an amazing black male nurse, and I don't believe he ever personally had a problem with patients or their families not wanting him to care for them. He has a great attitude and he's considered an asset to the unit. There's a white male nurse who also works on that unit. His attitude sucks and everyone wishes he would get over himself. Guess who everyone looks forward to working with?

I will say that if any ethnicity in general is treated poorly by others, it's Asian nurses. My Asian co-workers are sometimes treated very disrespectfully by patients and their families. Sometimes it's a confused Vietnam vet who sees that nurse and becomes agitated, and sometimes it's just an ignorant person who foolishly believes that because an Asian nurse has a distinctive accent, they're somehow stupid (even though that nurse is obviously AT LEAST bilingual, if not multilingual! Grrr.... :madface: ) Regardless, it's not very fair treatment at all and it happens a lot, so I can understand why he asked what he did.

TheCareerStudent · Mar 10, 2011

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent" -Eleanor Roosevelt

If you are asking if it is okay for an African American to be a Nurse you are allowing yourself to be inferior. I wish people would not play the race card with everything.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2011

Absolutely it's ok.

There are some shifts where I work where I'm the only white girl on the floor. :)

Where I'm at we have not just born and bred Americans of all different colors and backgrounds, we also have many who are first generation immigrants who became Americans less than ten years ago. Czech, Bosnian, Filipino, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Israeli, Indian...plus more I can't recall off the top of my head.

Sometimes pts can be butts about it, but it's not like it's isolated to racial issues only. I've been fired by pts for such various reasons as being white, being a fake redhead (that one told me only whores dyed their hair red...she was a gem), too young, too short, looked like the hated sister-in-law...you get the idea.

If you've decided on a career path at 17, you're light years ahead of where many of your peers are. Go for it, if that's what you truly desire.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Mar 10, 2011

I have worked with lots of black nurses and they were awesome and they enjoyed being in the field.

Occasionally some idiot would not want them as a nurse, but that happens with all ethnicities and is pretty rare.

I had a patient who didn't want me to be his nurse because i was white. No problem, doesn't hurt my feelings, the old ways die hard sometimes and no skin off my back. Whatever makes the patient comfortable.

leslie :-D · Mar 10, 2011

I wish people would not play the race card with everything.

op isn't playing the race card, if that's what/who you were referring to.

first i was incredulous, then saddened, to hear a 17yo ask this question.

it seriously breaks my heart for someone so young, to have these concerns.

you sound like a fine, upstanding young man...

and you can be whatever your heart desires.

don't let anyone tell you differently...anyone.

whatever obstacles you encounter in life, i am confident you will handle it like the gracious and intelligent person you appear to be.

it's your time to shine, daniel.:hug:

show 'em what you're made of.:balloons:

leslie

Moogie · Mar 10, 2011

Just a reminder from your friendly neighborhood moderator:

The OP is a high school student who asked a sincere question. While it may seem like a joke or an effort to stir up drama to some members, please keep in mind that it's difficult to completely understand the intention of a post on an Internet forum. Perhaps this poster has somehow been discouraged by guidance counselors in his school or has never known any African-American men who are nurses. To him, this question is legitimate and we need to give this member the respect we would show anyone else posting on AllNurses.

Several posts have been edited or removed as being unhelpful. Please keep in mind that sarcasm and quick wit, while often appropriate and appreciated in real-life conversations, don't translate well to Internet forums and can be easily misinterpreted. Look at it this way---would you welcome a sarcastic response from a stranger to a sincere question you might have asked? Please, if you can't contribute to a thread in a meaningful way, you may need to pass over that thread---not read it, not post a quick-witted answer or question the seriousness of the original post. If you think that a post might be an attempt to stir up drama, please report the thread to the moderators and we can investigate. Please don't call someone out in the threads as you could end up being in violation of TOS.

Thank you all for your cooperation in this. I admit that the question does seem a little unusual, but none of us is walking in the OP's shoes. We don't know why he is asking and what barriers have been set up in front of him by others in his life.

OP, best of luck to you. Work hard, study hard, and you can achieve your dreams.

sooperdooper · Mar 10, 2011

Hey everyone. I would just like to know if it is ok to work as a nurse as an african american and do many do it? Are there any drawbacks to this or will everything be alright? I thank you for all answers!

Of course it is! And even if there was a problem, I would say do it anyway! If that is what you want to do then let no one stop you. Good luck!

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Mar 10, 2011

I wasn't going to reply, because the answer seems so obvious. OF COURSE you can be a nurse. You can be/do anything you darn well please, and that includes nursing.

If anyone tells you otherwise, you can smack them upside the head, and say it came from us.

TheCareerStudent · Mar 10, 2011

op isn't playing the race card, if that's what/who you were referring to.
leslie

No I was referring to some of the comments I read. I definitely see why he asked the question but I think it is inappropriate for him to feel the need to ask the question. That is why I posted that quote. We have a black president, we are all equal. I know some people will argue that point, so I just want to point out reverse racism that is alive and well. Both sides discriminate against each other, no race is innocent from allowing discrimination and no race is the only victim anymore.